Chosen by the Goddess

Chapter 6

    When I wake up, I know I’m not alone. It takes me a moment to remember why. Before I get to open my eyes, I notice the scent. I know it, but it’s not quite familiar to me yet. It was natural, woodsy with a hint of sweetness to it. It brings back old memories of  bonfires and camping in the mountains.

    I have to blink a couple of times to open my eyes, my lashes are crusty from the mascara I forgot to take off. When my vision clears up, I realise that my head is not resting on my pillow, but instead on the bare chest of the man next to me. 

     I look up, to see if he is awake too, but his eyes are closed and his breathing steady. He looks so calm and peaceful. I want to touch his face, but am too afraid to wake him. I stare a little longer, before I slowly start to roll away from him to get up. 

I take small steps, trying to be quiet, when I hear his deep voice behind me.

    “You know you can tiptoe all you want, you’re not getting away from me” I don’t have to turn around to know he is smiling. I want to though, but I don’t. Instead I ask him. 

    “Coffee?”, but Im already out the door. I don’t hear his answer, but assume it is yes. Because who says no to coffee after a late night? After a quick visit to the bathroom to wash my face, I make my way back into the kitchen. I take two mugs from the cupboard, then it hits me, ‘who says no to coffee after a late night?’ a werewolf might. I stop. Now I was standing in front of the filled coffee pot, that my roommate had prepared before she left, holding two mugs, and myself wondering. 

    Just how normal were his human needs? How much were they like mine? Does he drink coffee, or does he prefer… fresh rain water? I shake my head. No that's crazy and it makes no sense. I decide to just ask him again, and this time, listen to his answer. When I turn around to make my way back, I meet his eyes, resting on me. He is leaning against the door to my room. He tilts his head, seemingly waiting for me to say something. 

    “Do you drink coffee?” He starts to smile, and his smile turns into a small chuckle.

    “Is that what you’ve been contemplating? You’ve been standing there with the cups for an awkwardly long time”

    “Well yes, that is because I was wondering if you drink coffee”. I sound slightly annoyed, I feel caught. He chuckles again, walks over to me and before I can step away, pulls me closer, kisses me on the forehead and takes one of the mugs out of my hand. 

    “ Good morning” he says, while turning to pour himself a cup. When I don’t answer, he fills the cup that I am still holding and, without another word, walks over to the kitchen table to sit down. 

    What did just happen? Were we on kissing terms? Did I consent to being kissed? I am unsure whether this is something I want to make a scene about, or if I should just let it go. I decide to let it go. Given our situation, and the circumstances, there would probably be enough instances to question and discuss. 

    Meanwhile, Rhys had picked up the paper that Stephanie had left on the table this morning. When I go to join him, he puts it down again to look at me. 

    “So, what do you think?” He asks. Probably noticing the confused look on my face, he continues to clarify “Do you want to come with me?”

    “With you, where?” I ask cautiously. I know very well what he means, but I feel like having him explain again will buy me time. 

    “Home, to my pack, where I live, where my people are, where I have to get back to eventually.” After elaborating, he takes a sip of coffee without taking his eyes off me. After a short pause, I answer “why would I come with you?”

    “Because I want you to” he responds with a smirk. I tilt my head. Does he think that does it for an explanation? I have a home, I have a live. I cant just give everything up to go live in the woods with a bunch of animals. The way in which he stated his request annoys me and I don’t want to discuss this now. I want to get up, but before I can, Rhys interrupts my thoughts.

    “What is keeping you here anyway?” Now I’m irritated. 

    “What do you mean? I have a life here, how presumptuous of you to assume that I will leave behind everything I know and love to got with a man I have yet to get to know.” I look straight into his eyes, and, as I talk, watch how they darken. The humor I had seen in them just a second ago, was now gone. As I wait for a response, I wonder if I might have been too harsh on him. Would he be angry? I think about whether I would find that reasonable or not, when he speaks again. 

    “You like me, I know you do. You could have walked away from me last night, but Im still here. You know how I feel. All I’m asking is that you consider coming with me. If you don’t like it, fine, come back here then. I am not asking you to abandon a whole life. I am asking to come and look at another. Maybe you would like it.” I am stunned by his mature, reasonable response. He was right, going didn’t mean never coming back. It just meant seeing his way of life. Giving it a chance. 

    “You’re right.” I say quietly, because who likes admitting that they overreacted. I look up to see Rhys smiling at me. That makes me feel a lot better, more than I would like to admit. 

    “Maybe you could take some time off work and come with me as a vacation. I don’t want you to quit your job and pack your boxes if that’s not what you feel comfortable with.” He takes another sip. “Your coffee is getting cold, You haven’t had one drop.”

    “Okay” I respond, before picking up my cup, and walking into my room to change. 

    “Okay to what?” I hear him shout from the kitchen. “Are you coming or are you drinking coffee?” I can hear the anxiety in his voice. I want to let him wait for a bit, but after a couple of seconds, it feels unfair. So I yell back. “Both.”

    “Cool” he responds, trying to act unimpressed, but I can hear the excitement in his voice. I feel it too. I quickly put on a pair of jeans and grey hoodie. 

    Before I can change my mind I walk back into the kitchen and pick up my phone. I dial and after a couple of rings, my boss picks up. She is still half asleep, so she quickly agrees to my ask. I get the feeling that she just wants me to stop bothering her, but that is fine by me too.  After I hang up, Rhys looks at me with big eyes. 

    “Got the next two weeks off.” I answer to a question he didn’t ask. Without saying anything, he gets up, walks over, pulls me in and wraps his arms around me, resting his chin on my head. I want to hug him back, but I can’t move my arms. So I just stand there, leaning against his body and listening to his breath.